1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a terminal fitting and a connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,743 discloses a connector with a housing formed with cavities. Terminal fittings can be inserted into the cavities and locked by resilient deflectable locks that project from an inner surface of each cavity.
A demand exists to make connectors smaller, and accordingly cavities, locks and terminal fittings also must be made smaller. These size reductions create a concern that a force to lock the terminal fittings will be insufficient.
The invention was developed in view of the above problem and an object thereof is to provide a terminal fitting and a connector which can be suited to being made smaller.
The invention relates to a terminal fitting that can be inserted into a connector housing from behind and locked by a fastener in the connector housing. The terminal fitting has an outer wall with a cut away portion that permits entry of the fastener. A locking projection is formed by deforming a front cut end of the cut-away portion to project out, and the fastener is engageable with the front cut end of the cut-away portion.
The fastener enters the cut-away portion and achieves a depth of engagement that is large as compared to a terminal fitting in which a fastener engages only a locking projection on an outer wall without a cut-away portion. In addition, a width of engagement is large because the fastener engages both with the locking projection and with the front cut end surface of the cut-away portion. Thus, a force to lock the terminal fitting is larger. Therefore, a sufficient locking force can be secured even if the terminal fitting is made smaller, and the terminal fitting and the connector are suited to being made smaller.
The front cut end surface of the cut-away portion with which the fastener is engageable is inclined and undercut to taper in towards the cut-away portion. Thus, the front cut end surface of the cut-away portion bites into the fastening portion when a force acts to pull the locked terminal fitting backward, and the locking force is even larger. Thus, the terminal fitting and the connector are well suited to being made smaller.
A first side wall preferably extends up from a first side edge of the outer wall and a second side edge of the outer wall is separated from a second side wall. Additionally, the outer wall is divided into a front portion and a rear portion by the cut-away portion. A holding piece preferably projects from the second side edge of the front portion and the front portion can be held to be immovable forward and backward by fitting the holding piece into a holding groove formed in the second side wall.
The outer wall is divided into the front and rear portions by the cut-away portion, and the fastener engages the locking projection and the cut end surface of the front portion. Thus, the fastener can be engaged over the entire width of the front portion of the outer wall and the locking force can be made even larger.
The front portion of the outer wall has the locking projection, and the cut end surface with which the fastener is engageable is held to be immovable forward and backward by fitting the holding piece into the holding groove. Thus, the locking projection and the cut end surface can be engaged with the fastener. As a result, even a small terminal fitting can be held firmly.
The cut-away portion preferably is extended to the holding piece, and the fastening portion is engageable with a cut end surface formed in or at the holding piece by extending the cut-away portion to the holding piece.
The cut-away portion is extended to the holding piece and the fastener is engaged with the cut end surface in a width range of both the outer wall and the holding piece. Thus, an engaged area can be increased to further enhance the force to lock the terminal fitting. Therefore, the terminal fitting and the connector are suited even more to being made smaller.
The cut-away portion preferably extends over the substantially entire width of the outer wall.
The locking projection preferably projects from the outer wall so that a side of the locking projection that engages the fastener is substantially flush with the cut end surface of the cut-away portion.
The locking projection projects from the outer wall so that the side of the locking projection that engages the fastener overhangs in the direction of the cut-away portion.
The invention also relates to a connector with a connector housing and the above described terminal fitting that is locked by a fastener in the connector housing when the terminal fitting is inserted into the connector housing from behind.
The fastener preferably has an engaging surface substantially mating the configuration of the cut end surface of the cut-away portion.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that even though embodiments are separately described, single features thereof may be combined to additional embodiments.